The Sad Laugh
by the-anon-quill
Summary: What happens when a prank goes wrong? Who has to pay? What happens to the Marauders? A one-shot based on the prank.


**Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Harry Potter, I'm just borrowing the characters**

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The boy stood there calmly. He was resting slightly more on his right leg than his left, as if it pained him. His hair, which fell to his shoulders, hanged limply. Pain and sorrow swam in his eyes, which made him look far older than his 15 years of age. Yet, he stood there calmly. For he believed that he was a monster and it was his fault, his fault that the other boy was dead, and he knew he would have to pay.

"Wolf, do you have any last words?" the rough, uncaring voice of the ministry official rang across the room, silencing the onlooker's conversations. The ten people in the room, mostly ministry officials (who looked as if Christmas had come early), and two Professors, from Hogwarts, who stood sombrely together, looked over at the teenager.

The boy himself looked up and over to the people watching. Firstly he looked over at his Professors, Dumbledore and McGonagall, "I'm sorry for what I have done, I hope you can accept my apology despite me being a monster. But I am forever thankful that you gave me the opportunity to go to Hogwarts." Remus Lupin's hoarse voice rang across the room. McGonagall's eyes seemed to swim with tears, as she watched one of her Gryffindors stand there, as Remus spoke his last words.

And Dumbledore looked on sadly, his usual sparkle absent from his eyes. "It was a pleasure my boy," he said to the boy, wanting to say more but was silenced as Remus started to speak again.

Remus was now looking over at those from the Ministry of Magic, "I hope I provide ample entertainment for you, it would be such a shame to have you travel all this way for nothing. It's just a shame I'm not Greyback."

Several of the Ministry wizards were surprised at Remus' words, yes he was going to provide them with entertainment for the day – you see those in the ministry did like a werewolf execution once a week. But the comment on Greyback – that was too truthful for them. The Minster of Magic looked over to the executioner, and gave him the signal.

"Is that all boy?" the low voice of the executioner asked Remus.

Remus looked up at him and nodded.

A shot rang out through the room. Remus Lupin fell to the floor, blood seeping out his chest – through the hole the silver bullet had just created. And with one final gasp, Remus was finally free of his curse.

Meanwhile back at Hogwarts…

"Potter!" Lily Evans' voice rang through the common room. Walking up to him, and staring him in the eye she said, "What have you done to Severus? He hasn't been in any lessons all day and neither have you or your friends."

James Potter look at Lily, "Lily, I don't know where he is-"his voice came out strained, "-and I've been with Sirius and Peter trying to get into the hospital wing, but we can't get in, for some reason its _locked_."

Lily looked at James in disbelief, "Tell me the truth Potter."

"I am telling you the –"James was stopped by Professor McGonagall walking into the common room.

"Potter, Evans, your both needed up in the headmasters' office-"McGonagall said to James and Lily, her voice full of sadness, "-it's okay Potter, Mr Black and Mr Pettigrew are already there." With that McGonagall turned and walked out the common room, with Lily and James following her.

The three walked in silence, McGonagall leading them through the quiet corridors of Hogwarts.

"James, where's Remus?" Lily asked hesitantly, turning to look at James.

James stopped, shocked that Lily had called him James not Potter. But he soon started walking again, as McGonagall quickened her step. "Why do you ask?" James replied.

"Because he's my friend. And I haven't seen him all day either, and I just have you know-"Lily said, unable to find the right words looking at James for help.

"-a feeling. Yeah, I do to." James replied, before running of too Dumbledore's office.

Professor McGonagall was half minded to yell at James and to tell him to stop running. But she knew he was smart enough and was piecing together what had happened. Sirius was the same, when she said the headmaster wish to speak to him, he paled rapidly and dropped all the food he was carrying and sprinted to Dumbledore's office. So, instead of yelling at James, she quickened her pace to a jog, calling to Lily, "Lily, please speed up."

And with that Professor McGonagall disappeared around a corner, leaving Lily stood still in the middle of a corner dumbstruck. Since when had McGonagall called her 'Lily'? For Lily, the day was getting stranger, first the disappearances of her friends; Severus and Remus, the rest of the Marauders not turning up to lesson, and McGonagall acting like this. It was defiantly a strange day. And with that thought Lily ran to catch up with the others.

James was met outside Dumbledore's office by an extremely edgy Sirius.

Sirius was pacing up and down, mumbling to himself but he stopped as soon as he saw James. "Prongs, what's the password? " Sirius asked James. "I've bloody forgotten it!" Sirius shouted, his voice sounding ashamed.

"Pads its-"James started but was interrupted.

"Chocolate Frogs," Professor McGonagall's voice called. Both boys jumped at the appearance of their head of house. They were both taken back by her appearance too. Strands of her hair had fallen out of her tight bun, she was catching her breath and their Professor McGonagall - had just stopped running. "Come on boys, the headmaster is waiting," she said walking pass the two dumbstruck fifth years, and a confused Peter Pettigrew, stepping onto the stone stairs.

"Pads, did that just happen?" James asked Sirius, who was also looking at the staircase in shock.

"My dear Prongs, I believe it just-"Sirius started but was stopped by Lily running into him. "Hey Evans, do you mind I'm standing here," Sirius' humours tone never meet his eyes. And Lily just glared at him. "Alright, I'm going – take it that old Dumbles needs to see you to?" he asked stepping on to the stairs.

"Yes, he does," Lily replied, following James up the steps to Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore was sat behind his desk with McGonagall at his side. He looked older than any of the four students stood before, had ever seen him. His usual sparkle had disappeared from his eyes, it was replace with sorrow and pain. With a wave of his hand four seats appeared in front of his desk. Looking at the students in his office, Dumbledore point towards the chair, "Please take a seat." His voice was grave.

The four sat down. Sirius, James and Peter were next to each other, and Lily pulled her chair over a fraction as she didn't wish to sit next to James. The room was then filled with silence, as the students didn't know what to say, and Dumbledore seemed to be too busy examining them. The silence was broken by the odd sniffle from Professor McGonagall. Which shocked all the students.

"Please Professors, what's happened?" Lily asked.

But at the same time James asked, "What's happened. What's happened to Remus?"

Dumbledore looked at his students, a small smile played at the edge of his lips – but it disappeared desperately. "I have called you here, due to something that happened last night-"

"No, Remus didn't? Have the ministry taken him?" Sirius asked quickly, as everyone looked at him.

"I am afraid, your worries are true." Dumbledore replied, but before anyone could say anything he carried on. "Last night there was, there was an incident, which involved Mr Lupin and Mr Snape-"

"No. No – last night, it was a, a full moon, no," Lily gasped. Her eyes started to fill with tears, as she put together the pieces. James put a comforting arm on her shoulder, which she didn't shrug off. James believed it was because she was so upset, but in fact Lily, surprisingly, liked it.

"Yes, it was Miss Evans." Dumbledore replied. "I believe young Severus' was, curious. Curious about where Mr Lupin went each month. Sadly, he couldn't control the werewolf's mind, and this was so very unfortunate." As Dumbledore was saying this, the four people in front of him all reacted differently.

Peter looked shocked – but he hadn't seem to have registered what had happened.

Sirius looked as if he was going to be sick. As if he knew something about it. And was staring straight ahead.

James had a lone tear rolling down his check, he had gathered what had happened to his friend, his brother. For he knew from his father working at the Ministry what happened to werewolves who had killed someone.

Lily, had moved closer to James. She found his arm on her shoulder comforting. Although she hadn't been close to Severus in the past year, he was still her childhood friend, she still cared about him – and she had lost him. But now she feared for Remus.

"What have they done? What's happened to Remus?" Sirius asked, his voice full of concern. Looked Dumbledore in the eye.

Dumbledore sighed. But McGonagall decided it was her turn to talk. "This morning, Poppy was rudely stunned by some Ministry officials. They then proceed to take Remus." She blew her nose and then continued. "They then questioned him, and an hour ago he, he was _dealt_ with, as the Ministry say. He wanted us to say to you, thank-you and that he was sorry for what happened. Sadly Remus isn't-" McGonagall couldn't continue as tears fell out her eyes.

Dumbledore looked over at his deputy and friend and continued from where she had left off, "Sadly Remus Lupin was killed to-" Dumbledore never got to finish his sentence.

"NO! Those bastards!" came the shouts of two brothers, James and Sirius were stood up, fury blazing in their eyes.

"He would never hurt anyone," came Peter's quiet voice.

But no-one was prepared for what came next, Lily stood up, her eyes were full of anger as she looked at Dumbledore and McGonagall straight in the eyes. "And what did you do? Did you just stand there and watch him be shot? Did you stand and do nothing? Oh, it doesn't matter – one less werewolf for the world to care about." She said her words so quietly, but they was heard clearly by everyone. To Dumbledore and McGonagall it was like a blow to the stomach.

"No, we didn't," McGonagall replied.

"And yet Remus is dead. For something that wasn't his fault!" Sirius shouted backed, before storming out of Dumbledore's office.

Everyone turned around shocked at his sudden departure. And with that Peter, James and Lily stood up. "He has a point you know," James said quietly, before leaving with Lily and Peter of to find Sirius.

McGonagall stood and went to go after her Gryffindors, but was stopped by Dumbledore. "Minerva, let them have some time."

Little did they know, it was the end of the Marauders. A band of brothers that seemed unbreakable, were broken.

Sirius was never seen again. He told James about what he had done, telling Snape to go to the Shirking Shack on the full moon, and James was livid. The closest of brothers were now enemies. So Sirius Black left. Left Hogwarts. Left the country. He was never seen again. But they say every year on the anniversary of Remus' death a large back dog appears and hollows in the shack.

Peter Pettigrew was forgotten. Although James was still there, they wasn't close. He was always closer to Remus. He joined Voldemort as soon as he left Hogwarts. But he was never talented and was killed a year later by an order member, and member who use to be a brother.

James Potter changed. He became a lot quieter and a lot less trusting after Remus' death and Sirius' betrayal. But he managed to gain Lily's heart. He was there for her when others weren't. As soon as he finished Hogwarts he joined the Order of the Phoenix. He killed an old brother in a battle once, he didn't actually want to but he had threatened his precious Lily.

Lily Evans became Lily Potter. She found the new James perfect, but she did miss some of the old fun loving and laughing James. She joined the Order when she left Hogwarts and fought beside her husband for many years. However six months after the birth of their son Harry, James died. Killed in battle. She lived alone raising Harry as war raged on – staying strong as it was what James would've wanted. She eventually moved to France, to raise Harry in safety.

This was what became of the closest of friends, ones that were brothers. All because of a prank that went wrong.

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_Written for the Greenhouse Competition: Mandrake_


End file.
